This Year's Love
by HellonHeels44
Summary: After months of dancing around their feelings, Andrea and Sharon start to contemplate redefining their friendship. Many thanks and props go to my lovely and talented coauthor, DefyingNormalcy, whom I absolutely adore writing with. This was so much fun. Here's lookin' at you, dear. We borrowed "This Year's Love" from David Gray...because we love his music. So much.
1. Chapter 1

_This years love had better last_

_Heaven knows it's high time_

_And I've been waiting on my own too long_

_But when you hold me like you do_

_It feels so right_

_I start to forget_

_How my heart gets torn_

_When that hurt gets thrown_

_Feeling like you can't go on_

Andrea tied her blonde hair back in a messy bun and pulled the faded maroon Berkeley Law sweatshirt over her head, before she plopped down on her sofa for what would no doubt be another lazy night filled with bad television. She'd turned down another offer for dinner with Marie, a leggy brunette from her office who was all too keen to ask her out every chance she got, and she'd told Gavin she wasn't up for drinks, so really she had no one to blame but herself for another lonely night in the house. With a quiet sigh she looked down at the iPhone resting on her stomach. No messages. She hated that she was disappointed every time there wasn't a new message from Sharon. She hated even more that her heart skipped a beat every time there was. If she had her way, that woman would be out of her head entirely.

It had been four frustrating months of cryptic text messages, glances that were a little too intense, embraces that lingered just a little too long. For four long months they lingered on the precipice of… something. Attraction. Sex. Love? But nothing. Sharon wasn't having any of it, really. She was just a tease, Andrea thought bitterly as she rolled over and buried her face in the plush white couch cushion, wishing she could find a way to close out the world, just for a night. If she could find five minutes where Sharon wasn't occupying every inch of her thoughts, maybe she could find some clarity. Maybe she could forget about her. Maybe she could figure out what the hell to do with her or how to live without her.

Just as if she'd conjured her, Andrea's cell phone began to vibrate. It was no doubt Sharon. Andrea pulled the phone from out of the couch cushion and stared at it.

_Just done at the gym… movie? I'm bored. I can come to yours if you don't want to fight traffic._

Andrea exhaled and looked at the message for a moment, then tapped out an answer on her touchscreen._ Sure… I'm dressed like a bum. Not putting real clothes back on, you get to deal, but you know you're welcome anytime. ;)_

_Oh. You don't have to put any clothes on for me, darling! Hah. Be there in 20._

Andrea sat the phone down on the coffee table and curled back up on the couch, closing her eyes. She could already feel the tension coiling in her stomach as she thought about Sharon sitting on the couch with her, limbs no doubt entwined with hers. They always wound up tangled up in one another somehow. It was unspoken, silent, when they wrapped their arms around one another. Sharon always wound up in her arms, or with her head in her lap, or Andrea wound up with her cheek resting against Sharon's chest, listening to the rise and fall of her heartbeat with every breath the other woman took. They never talked about those moments they shared, tucked away in the still protection of one another's homes, hidden from the world. It was secret, it was safe. They didn't have to talk about it. They just did it. Tonight would be no different, Andrea knew.

Twenty minutes later, like clockwork, Sharon showed up on Andrea's doorstep, clad in a pair of dark blue jeans and a white tank top that was just tight enough to accentuate every curve she possessed. Andrea swallowed hard as she took in the sight of her, her face illuminated by the soft yellow porch light shining down on her. Sharon's red locks were hanging in curls over her shoulders, clearly carelessly blow-dried at the gym. Her makeup was minimal, but certainly still there. Andrea had to grin as she opened the door wider to let her into the foyer; Sharon had reapplied her make up after her run just to come to her house. Perhaps it was silly, but the extra effort was meant to impress her and it did. Sharon also, Andrea noted, looked much lovelier with a quick coat of mascara and chapstick than her usual heavy liner and blush. Andrea would take this softer version of Sharon over Captain Raydor any day.

"Good time at the gym?" she muttered in lieu of a formal hello as she moved aside, cornering herself between the door and the table in her entryway to avoid touching the older woman at all.

Hellos were always awkward between them. They seemed like they should naturally start with a hug and a kiss but each woman always settled for something inevitably less; a peck on the cheek, a pat on the back, as if neither one quite knew how to start the pseudo-intimate evening they knew they'd end up having.

"Yes. I'm exhausted now. I don't know why I do that to myself," Sharon laughed quietly, moving carefully around Andrea to enter the dimly lit hallway, decorated in elegant creams and warm nudes. She looked around the entryway and into the living room, trying to find a spot to focus her eyes on instead of Andrea's long, very unclad legs. Part of her wanted to get down on her knees and thank Andrea for being comfortable enough to wear spandex shorts that short around her. The other part of her just wanted to throttle the younger woman for it.

"I don't know why you do it either, but I'm certainly not complaining about the results."

Andrea's deadpan expression elicited an eye roll from Sharon and the tense moment that hung between them dissipated. Leave it to Andrea to be a smart ass, Sharon thought to herself, as she moved into the kitchen to pour them both a glass of wine. It didn't matter that it was Andrea's kitchen; both women had moved about each other's homes with ease for weeks now. They were friends, yes. Something more, maybe? Sharon wasn't sure. Andrea certainly didn't know. They did, however, spend every evening they could get away with in one home or the other, together.

Before Sharon had the chance to turn around and find it, Andrea was behind her with the corkscrew. "Here, dear," she said softly, handing her the tool to open the bottle of Merlot she'd taken out of the wine wrack on the neatly organize counter; a stark contrast to Sharon's own often messy kitchen.

"You're a doll." Sharon smirked, reaching up on her tiptoes to peck Andrea on the cheek before returning to the task of opening the bottle. She popped the cork with ease and poured the smooth liquid into two glasses, licking in her lips in anticipation as she watched it flow. It was a movement not lost on Andrea and she was thankful for the sweatshirt to hide the crimson flush creeping up her chest.

"Well, it is my kitchen, Sharon."

Sharon contemplated her for a moment, then extended her arm to offer her a glass of wine.

"You raise a very valid point, Andrea. It is your kitchen. You should know where the corkscrew is, yes." She winked at the younger woman, then turned on her heel and sauntered into the living room, affording Andrea an uninterrupted view of her backside as she did it, no doubt on purpose. Andrea shook her head and sighed in exasperation, then followed silently.

"What do you want to watch, Sharon?" she muttered as she settled by the TV to search for the remotes, milky white legs standing taller than the thick, wooden entertainment stand.

Sharon allowed her eyes to run the length of Andrea's legs this time instead of focusing on the television stand. She'd never really realized how long they were, but as her focus drifted from the shape of her calf muscle to the curve of her inner thigh, she certainly noticed this evening.

"Sharon…" Andrea repeated as the color in her cheeks deepened when she finally placed where Sharon's eyes were.

"Oh, whatever. We never finished the Audrey trifecta. We could do Roman Holiday. Or we could do something different and watch Dr. Zhivago or The Bicycle Thief. Unless you're sick of old, boring movies."

"Never. I'll sit through as many old, boring movies as you want me to." Andrea smiled at her, tossing the remote her way. She grabbed a deep purple throw out of the large wicker basket next to her couch and plopped down next to Sharon, curling her legs up under her. She knew they'd end up sharing the blanket by the end of the night, so she didn't bother grabbing two.

To Andrea's surprise, Sharon didn't pick an old movie at all, but turned on The Hours instead. They'd spoken about it the week before and Sharon had mentioned she hadn't seen it. Andrea wasn't expecting to watch it with her. Andrea looked at her skeptically and Sharon caught her face out of the corner of her eye.

"What? Do you not want to watch this?"

"No, no. I do…" Andrea said quietly, pursing her lips in her usual way. "I just... do you?" She could feel her heart beating hard and fast in her chest as every nerve in her body tensed. God damn it, Sharon. How was she supposed to sit through this movie with her? Was Sharon trying to seduce her, or just break her heart in half?

Sharon looked up at her innocently and crossed her arms. "Should I not want to? You said it was a good movie… I just thought… we can watch something else. It isn't a big deal." Sharon reached for the remote to flip through another list of movies when Andrea grabbed her hand.

"No. Sharon, its fine. Really. Lets watch this." In one swoop Andrea had the remote in her hand and her arm around Sharon, pulling the woman in closer to her. Two could play this game. Sharon protested for a moment, but gave in without much of a fight. She settled against Andrea's hip quickly, resting her head against the younger woman. They couldn't even pretend they didn't like to cuddle anymore as Andrea immediately began to run her fingers through Sharon's mass of curls. So far they could almost chalk the cuddling up to platonic, friendly embraces; things very close friends would do. Almost.

Sharon was initially grateful for the lush chenille blanket separating her bare arms from Andrea's bare legs, but as the night wore on and the breeze off the ocean blew in to Andrea's Malibu cottage through the large living room windows, Sharon felt a shiver prickle up her spine.

"You cold?" Andrea asked quietly as she felt Sharon adjust against her while Laura and her son Richie baked a cake on the wide screen.

"Freezing," Sharon laughed, rubbing her arms.

Both Sharon and Andrea sat up to readjust themselves and Andrea decided to throw caution to the wind. She laid down, pushing her feet behind Sharon's backside on the couch, her body flush against the back cushions. "Well, come lay down." She smiled softly, inviting Sharon to lie down in front of her.

Sharon raised an eyebrow and watched her for a moment, holding her breath. Silently, she kicked her shoes off and laid down, accepting Andrea's offer. She cuddled into Andrea, her backside flush against the front of the other woman, and felt Andrea's hand on her stomach as the blanket settled on top of both of them. She didn't expect the rush of emotion to hit so quickly, the coil of tension in her abdomen to be quite so tight, the heat between her thighs to be quite so hot. She could feel the rise and fall of Andrea's chest against her back and her breath on her neck. Immediately she knew this was too much, but she wrapped her own leg around Andrea's bare leg, anyway, pulling it around her body. She let a sharp breath escape her lips as she felt the heat of the younger woman envelop her body. It felt good to have Andrea all over her.

Both Sharon and Andrea tried hard to concentrate on the film as Kitty the neighbor came in to chat with Laura about feeding her dog, but Sharon could only really concentrate on the feeling of Andrea's hand creeping up her bare stomach. She wasn't sure when Andrea's hand had made its way inside her tank top, but the feeling was overwhelming. She closed her eyes and turned, burying her head in Andrea's neck, taking another sharp breath in as Andrea's other hand caught her by the back to hold her closer.

"Are you alright?" Andrea asked quietly.

Sharon couldn't bring herself to formulate words, so she nodded into her neck, her lips pressing gently against her soft skin.

Andrea's mouth went dry as she felt Sharon's white-hot lips on her. She allowed her hands to roam further up Sharon's shirt as she moved her leg higher up between the older woman's thighs. Sharon let out a moan and rocked against Andrea's thigh as she kissed and nibbled her neck, unable to control the desire that was quickly building deep within her lithe frame-the desire that had been haunting her for weeks now.

A loud thud resounded through the room thanks to the surround sound as Richie dropped a toy on the kitchen floor and Laura chided him on screen and Sharon and Andrea both nearly jumped off the couch, away from each other. Whatever heat had been between the two women disappeared as Sharon watched the color drain from Andrea's face. Her hands left the inside of Sharon's shirt as quickly as they had found it and she pulled her thigh down and out from between Sharon's legs. Suddenly feeling very tense and very, very, very let down, Sharon removed her teeth from Andrea's neck and she sat up, clearing her throat.

Andrea sat up too, and wrapped the chenille blanket around her legs, which she was suddenly very aware were very bare. Sharon didn't dare look at her head on, but tried to gauge her face out of the corner of her eye instead. What the hell just happened? She knew she was attracted to Andrea, but for all intents and purposes Andrea hadn't seemed one bit seriously interested in her all these weeks. Sure, there had been minor flirtations, the occasional pet name. How on earth had they wound up writhing around like a couple of teenagers on her couch? Weren't adults supposed to talk about these kinds of things before it happened?

Finally Sharon mustered up the courage to look over at Andrea, who was sitting board straight, staring ahead at the television screen. The television screen, on which two women were kissing. Nice one, Sharon. Andrea looked utterly horror-struck. This was not the way Sharon had planned this. She needed to get out, she needed to be as far away from Andrea as she could possibly get. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"You know, Andrea…I think I'm tired. Maybe we can finish the movie another time." Or fucking never, she thought, but she'd keep that part to herself.

Andrea did her best to force a smile as she hugged a throw pillow to her chest and nodded. "Yes, I think that's probably a good idea, Sharon."

There was no hiding the ice in Andrea's voice. She may as well have opened the door and physically kicked Sharon out of it. Sharon quickly put her shoes on and grabbed her purse. "I uh… I'll see you at work on Monday, okay?" she said quietly, not daring to touch Andrea before she stood.

Andrea nodded, not really wanting to show Sharon out. Sharon got the picture, though she wasn't sure why. Hurt didn't begin to cover the way she was feeling.

"I'll show myself out, Andrea."

"Alright… I'll see you on Monday, Shar… Goodnight."

"Yes. Goodnight."

Sharon bit her lip hard as she rushed through the kitchen and out the front door to the safety of her car. Once she was settled in the front seat with the doors locked she closed her eyes and let the tears flow down her cheeks. She shouldn't have given in and laid down, she knew that. She shouldn't have turned around; she shouldn't have kissed her neck. She should have known better than to cross that line. Flirting was one thing, but what they did tonight was another. Andrea made it loud and clear that was not the way she wanted Sharon either. She was mortified and she felt like an absolute idiot. She feared if she sat in Andrea's driveway any longer the younger woman would come out, so she patted her cheeks dry and made an effort to stop crying long enough to drive herself home and pour herself into bed. Hopefully forever.

Little did she know Andrea had moved to the foyer and was watching her, arms crossed over her chest as she peered out the corner of the curtains so Sharon wouldn't notice her. God, Andrea, you fucking idiot. Andrea didn't mean to freeze, she was just terrified of taking things too far with Sharon with no real commitment. Her feelings for Sharon ran too deep for casual sex. Simply sleeping with her was not an option; if she made love to her there was no going back. Andrea wished she could run outside and take Sharon in her arms. She wished she could bring her back in the house and tell her she was sorry. She couldn't, not tonight. She couldn't be Sharon's plaything when she needed one. She needed to know that Sharon loved her too, and a few tears just weren't enough to prove what Sharon was feeling.

Defeated, she flicked off the porch light and headed down the hallway to her bedroom. That same lonely feeling from the beginning of the night had returned. Ever since the first evening Sharon stepped foot in her house, it was there every time she wasn't-like the house expanded exponentially every time Sharon left it so that it became a big, lonesome chasm. Funny, considering Andrea used to think her home quite cozy until Sharon had entered, and consequently left it. She threw her big down comforter back and crawled into her king size bed, curling up in the middle of it. She didn't want to hurt Sharon, but at the same time, she just couldn't get hurt again.

She tossed and turned under the duvet for a little while, then pulled her cell phone out. She couldn't leave things the way they were, she had to text her. With a heavy sigh, she tapped out a million messages on her touch screen before settling on one.

_I'm sorry I was grumpy…I told you that movie makes me sad. Are you safe? Let me know. 3_

Sharon sighed and rolled her eyes as her phone lit up. She didn't want to admit she'd been waiting for the message, but of course she was.

_I'm safe. Got home a few minutes ago. I told you we didn't have to watch it. Next time you pick the movie, okay?_

Sharon laughed darkly, wiping her nose with a tissue. She hoped beyond hope she wasn't wrong to assume there would be a next time. She was hurt and overwhelmed and exhausted, and most of all frustrated. She kind of wanted to throw her phone across the room, but the prospect of talking to Andrea until she fell asleep was far too tempting and that only made her more upset with herself. Why did she even want to talk to this damn woman until she fell asleep every night?

_Deal… It's cold without you. Should have made you stay and heat the bed like you heated the couch. ;-)_

Now Sharon really was ready to throw her phone across the room. Andrea had all but dumped her on the floor when she kissed her, now she was inviting her to come do it in her bed?

_Why? So you could kick me out of there, too? Besides, I'm the cold one. You're the one that's always hot. Nice try, Counselor._

Andrea rolled her eyes. Clearly attempts at humor weren't going to fly with Sharon. She just didn't know what else to say. She curled her legs up to her chest as she thought. Maybe it was time to just be honest, but that didn't seem like something Sharon was ready for. It seemed like Sharon would be content to cuddle on the couch and just not talk about what was going on between them forever.

_Maybe we should talk about it, then… what are we doing, Sharon?_

Sharon rolled her eyes and set her phone down for a moment, trying to control her temper. It wasn't often that she got truly mad, but now she was truly, deeply, ready-to-throw-something-at-a-wall, angry at Andrea Hobbs. Andrea had kicked her out and now she wanted to discuss the state of their relationship via text message. No damn way. She wasn't going to have a conversation that serious through a medium that ridiculous. If Andrea Hobbs wanted to discuss their relationship she was going to have to look Sharon in the eye to do it.

_What do you mean? We are laying in bed text messaging like a couple of teenagers, obviously._

_You know what I mean, Sharon._

_Looks like I'm the grumpy one now. I'm tired, Andrea. I'll see you in the office on Monday. If you really want to talk, we can set up a time next week. Goodnight._

With that, Sharon turned the ringer off and set her phone on her bedside table. She had brunch with Gavin in ten hours and she was done with Andrea Hobbs for the night. She'd infuriated her and hurt feelings enough for one evening.

Andrea sighed and tossed her phone down in the duvet. She knew she wasn't going to hear any more out of Sharon after she'd said goodnight. She stared up at the ceiling, pondering how an evening that had started off so well had ended in such a mess. As she watched the way the moonlight bounced off her ceiling fan, she made a decision. It was time to tell Sharon Raydor how she felt about her, for better or worse. Whether Sharon loved her or not, it was time for Sharon to know that Andrea loved her. She just couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't just be her friend, and she certainly couldn't have any more evenings like this with Sharon. She had to tell her truth.

She rolled over and closed her eyes, thinking of the different ways in which she might tell Sharon she loved her as she drifted off to a restless sleep; one that no doubt would have been better if Sharon had been there next to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Gavin watched her as she picked at her fruit salad, taking inventory of her tired features. Sharon Raydor was not starring in her finest hour. "Shari, no offense, but you're looking a little… tired. What's going on?" The younger blonde muttered as he combed his knife over the piece of chicken on his plate.

Sharon reclined in her chair and pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes as she dined with her best friend at the illustrious Ivy on the shore restaurant. It was their monthly tradition, though they'd both kind of grown to dread it in a way. The wait was always long even with their standing reservation, the bill was always big, but they were always there, without fail, at 11:30 on the third Sunday of every month.

"I'm just exhausted," she moaned as she crossed her arms over her chest, having hardly touched the fruit and yogurt in front of her. There were eggs as well, also untouched. Sharon Raydor wasn't eating-it could only mean one thing.

"Don't feed me that line, young lady. You haven't touched your brunch. Who is it? Who are you seeing?" Gavin prodded, pointing his knife at her. A twenty-year friendship meant he knew all her idiosyncrasies, and loss of appetite meant she was in love, or at least infatuated with someone, and Gavin simply would not accept not knowing who it was.

"Who the hell do you think?" Sharon barked, popping a piece of watermelon in her mouth to appease him, or at least to prove him wrong.

Gavin tucked his chin into his neck as a devilish grin broke across his face. "You're not still talking to Andrea Hobbs, are you?" He guffawed and clapped his hands, delighted.

Sharon shook her head as she took another bite of her brunch, hunger finally hitting her. "Talking, yes. But I'm telling you, she's not interested in anything more than friendship Gavin, trust me on that one."

Gavin fiddled with the pristine white tablecloth and rolled his eyes. He knew otherwise, Andrea had told him countless times herself. "And what makes you think that she isn't interested, little-miss-know-it-all?"

Sharon hesitated, looking positively deflated as she sat back in the wooden chair. "Well, we talk every day but she just doesn't…I don't know. Sometimes I think she's flirting, and then she just stops. Some days I think she's interested, other days she pretty much tells me she would never in a million years be interested. She's confusing." Sharon looked down at the table to hide the pain she knew was evident on her face. Talking about Andrea stung. Thinking about her was damn near unbearable. She brushed her bangs out of her face and avoided Gavin's eyes, trying to brush the memory of Andrea's tone as they said goodnight the night before out of her head. "She's a pain in the ass, Gavin. It's never going to happen." Sharon sighed as she poked the fruit on her plate with her fork, pushing it around haphazardly.

Gavin let out a small laugh. For as smart as his two best friends were, they were absolute idiots when it came to each other. He'd just sat through the same exact conversation with Andrea less than a week ago. "Do you think maybe she's just trying to be careful? That she isn't sure if you're interested and doesn't want to get hurt?"

"How can I show her any more that I'm interested? I sit in night after night and talk to her until I fall asleep-that is if I'm not with her!" Sharon snapped, swirling her mimosa around in its glass.

"Honey, calm down. Don't take your sexual tension out on me. I didn't do it," Gavin chided, taking a sip of his own drink, a bloody Mary, sans celery. "In order for you to have someone to sit in night after night and talk to, or be with, she's got to be in night after night, too. You're in the same boat, Sharon. One of you idiots needs to put your big girl panties on and say HEY I love you!"

Sharon sat back in her chair again and rolled her eyes beneath her sunglasses, wishing she were anywhere but out to eat with Gavin. Love? Wasn't it a little soon for the word love? Why did he always have to be so infuriatingly…right? She took a sip of her drink and twirled it in her hands again, staring down at it as the liquid moved in the glass. Why was it such a big deal to tell Andrea she liked her? What did she have to lose? Andrea was just so damn inconsistent that she had no idea how she felt. One minute she was all over Sharon, the next she couldn't be bothered, it seemed. Confused was beginning to be an understatement for Sharon's emotions.

"Gavin, its not that easy. I have no idea how Andrea feels about me. I work with her. Yes we talk. We talk a lot. Sometimes we flirt- barely. We have a good time. That doesn't mean I can just call her up and say hey, I'd really like to make you my girlfriend. If she doesn't feel the same way about me, and trust me she obviously doesn't, that could make our working relationship really uncomfortable. As the former head of FID and Internal Affairs, I really feel like I have a responsi-"

"Oh, Shari, babe, cut the crap," Gavin interrupted her before she could launch into her standard issue internal affairs lecture about appropriate relationships. He'd heard it ad nausea already, he was not going to allow her recite it again. "Andrea is an incredibly careful woman. She's been burned in the past. She isn't stupid. She's not going to wear her heart on her sleeve and make it easy for you. Just because she isn't banging down your door saying take me now doesn't mean she isn't into you, Sharon. Get a grip, okay? And give her some credit. Frankly, I'm a little insulted on her behalf, and a little ashamed of you right now."

Sharon was genuinely taken aback by his response. "What? Why? Why the hell are you yelling at me, Gavin?" she muttered, draining her glass and motioning for the waiter to bring her another mimosa. They were obviously going to be there for a little while.

"Why does she need to admit her feelings to you first? Because she's younger? Because you're the fabulous catch, Miss Sharon Fucking Raydor, LA's finest? Honey, you know that I love you and that I think you're wonderful, but stop it. Andrea put forth the effort by reaching out to you and starting the conversations in the first place. If she hadn't started the first conversation you two fools wouldn't be talking every night, am I right or am I right?"

Sharon nodded hesitantly, wishing he would just shut the hell up, but she knew he wouldn't.

"Yes, Gavin, you're right," she finally admitted, staring down at her hands in an effort not to look at him. Did Andrea think she was being careless with her emotions? Was she being inconsistent, too? Sharon had to admit, if she was being honest with herself, that there were plenty of evenings she pulled the flirty card only to clam up and immediately retreat back inside the safety of her professional Captain Raydor, we're just discussing a case, shell. Had she led Andrea on?

Gavin reached across the table to rub her arm. He didn't want to be harsh with Sharon, but it was high time she got her head out of her ass and told Andrea how she felt. "Honey, you just have to tell her. She's not going to wait around forever for you to make up your mind. She's been patient with you...but that woman gets asked out a lot. How many times is she supposed to say no before you're the one who asks her out, Shari?"

Sharon sighed as the waiter approached and left the check on the edge of the table. She grabbed it before Gavin had the chance, a victorious smile crossing her thin lips. It was always a mad dash to see who could pay before the other got to the bill. It was silly, really, but they enjoyed treating each other. She contemplated Gavin's words as she stuck her American Express in the plastic holder and slapped the bill back down on the table, signaling for the waiter to pick it up before Gavin could argue with her-he'd done enough of that this morning.

She knew she needed to find the courage sooner than later to talk to Andrea. They'd been talking for months and flirting for weeks and she'd had feelings for her for much longer than that. But after what had happened last night, Sharon was just too hurt and angry. Right now she'd be happy if she didn't see Andrea again for a very long time. She twiddled her thumbs in her lap, debating whether or not to tell Gavin what happened the night before. He was her best friend after all. If she couldn't tell him her embarrassing stories of rejection, who could she tell? Andrea?

"Its just… something happened last night." She muttered so that she was barely audible over the buzz of the other diners.

Gavin's ears perked and he leaned closer in to Sharon, an interested look on his face. He watched her for a moment, taking note of her sad features, and he schooled his own.

"What happened, honey? You look sad. I don't like that."

"Well… I went to her house. And we cuddled. And I tried to kiss her."

Sharon looked positively humiliated and she covered her eyes with her hand, not wanting to finish the story.

"And? ...Ah." Gavin muttered, not needing her to. He squeezed the hand he was still holding and sighed, wishing he could bring her more comfort without betraying Andrea's trust.

"She's scared, Sharon. She likes you, I know she does. She never fucking shuts up about you. I really think, despite how uncomfortable you are, that you need to buck up and ask her out on a real, big girl date. Something tells me she'll respond differently to the next kiss if it's under more clearly defined circumstances." He sat back in his chair and downed the rest of his bloody mary, accepting that Sharon had beat him to the check this time.

Sharon was silent. What could she say? She knew he was right. Gavin watched her as she collected her purse, clearly calling an end to their brunch date and his opportunity for giving her advice. Gavin stood and tucked his chair in neatly, then patted his blazer to be sure he had his keys and wallet. No sense in arguing with Sharon, she would win. She was downright impossible to get through to when she decided she was done with a conversation, and she was very obviously done with this one.

Sharon led Gavin out of the restaurant, then pecked him on the cheek quickly and silently before abandoning him quickly to seek refuge in her car. That was the second time in less than twenty-four hours she'd skidded out on a friend for the cool comfort of the black leather interior. Really, it was the comfort of being alone; of being away from the confrontation that was her relationship, or lack thereof, with Andrea Hobbs. She rested her head against the seat and exhaled, trying to expel every thought of Andrea from her mind with her hot breath. She just needed Andrea out of her head for five damn minutes.


	3. Chapter 3

Sharon pulled her tired feet out of her stilettos and laid herself down on her bed as gently as she could. It had been a horrible Monday. Major Crimes had caught a brutal double homicide and a particularly messy robbery gone wrong all in one morning. Sharon, herself, had caught a criminal, against a brick wall. Her shoulder caught him, to be exact, and now it ached far more than she anticipated. She didn't remember her bones aching that much when she was in her twenties and thirties. She was going to chalk it up to twenty-five years in internal affairs, not twenty-five years of advancing age.

What, perhaps, made the day worse than anything, was that Andrea Hobbs was nowhere to be found. Emma Rios had come in to deal the cases rather than the older, blonde counselor, which just about set Sharon's blood to boiling before she'd even finished her morning coffee. She'd sent several messages Andrea's way throughout the day with no return. Calls were left unanswered. Sharon even went so far as to drive by Andrea's house on the way home from work, which was no easy task considering she lived in Malibu and Sharon definitely did not. Worry was beginning not to be the right term for Sharon's emotions toward Andrea as the evening wore on. In the last three days Andrea had become rather practiced at trying Sharon's patience and hurting her feelings. Sharon was beginning to wonder why she was wasting her time on the younger woman. She sunk back in her pillows and closed her eyes, conjuring the blonde's face in her mind as she attempted to relax, but she couldn't deny the frustration she felt as she thought about her. She wasn't wasting her time, she knew that deep down.

Sharon rested her hand on her chest to massage the sore spot as she thought about what to make for dinner, if she could even find the energy to get out of bed and do it. A glass of wine was almost tempting enough to get her to move, but not tempting enough as her hand slipped further down her blouse. Her thoughts quickly turned back to the tall, blonde D.D.A. as her fingers found the edge of her black lace bra. Andrea's face haunted her often, causing what Sharon could only call undue...stress. She squeezed her eyes tighter together as her hand slipped further down her blouse, losing herself in more risque thoughts of Andrea.

As if on cue, Sharon's phone lit up and began to vibrate against the nightstand where she left it. Sharon sighed and rolled over, grabbing the phone without checking the caller ID.

"Raydor," she snapped as she sat up, rebuttoning the top button of her shirt.

"Well, I'm glad to hear from you too, dear," Andrea chirped on the other end of the line. She pulled blonde locks into a messy french twist and pinned it on top of her head, then tested the bath water to make sure it wasn't too warm before she dropped the towel at her feet.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Sharon barked, rolling her eyes. If looks could kill and Andrea could see her, she'd be dead on sight. Sharon wasn't sure if she was more angry she was only now hearing from Andrea or if it was because Andrea had interrupted her in the middle of... well, she wasn't exactly sure what Andrea had just interrupted, but she was positive it was going to be a lot more pleasant than this conversation was about to be.

"Whoa, Sharon... I'm sorry. I got called out on a case," Andrea apologized quickly as she sank down into the water, allowing the warmth to comfort her tired body. The evening was nowhere near over; she still had to entertain the other district attorneys at dinner, but at least she had this break in her hotel room. "We got sequestered at a hotel. Big case. I'm so sorry I didn't get the chance to call, Shar. Sometimes I can't...they just take us. I'm not even supposed to be calling you now."

Sharon felt a weight lift off her chest as she heard Andrea say she was alright. She pulled her duvet back and crawled under the covers, waiting for Andrea to explain further. She was relieved she was alright, but she was still pissed at her for leaving her to deal with Emma Rios all day. They still hadn't had the chance to discuss Saturday night or Andrea's flirty text messages or the kiss or the cuddling. Come to think of it, Sharon was angry with Andrea for a lot of things. She pulled the covers up around her shoulders and settled back into her pillows, listening to Andrea breathe. The sound soothed her, as much as she hated that.

Andrea heard the rustling of...something, perhaps a blanket against Sharon's leather sofa? Sharon sighed, the soft sound was accompanied by more rustling and it hit Andrea - Sharon was settling into her bed for the evening. Andrea pictured her mass of auburn waves spilling across crisp, white sheets, or would they be a burnt orange, to compliment the warm tones she loved to decorate her condo with? Was she wearing a nightgown, or an oversized LAPD sweater to combat the cold that seemed to permeate her limbs? Andrea shook her head, _What are you doing, thinking about Sharon like this?_

"Sharon... please don't be mad at me," Andrea sighed quietly, "I didn't have a choice. I had to come. We're stuck here until the case is closed. We could be out by morning, it could be a week." She closed her eyes and rested her free hand on her stomach as she sunk lower in the water. These stints away from society got lonely, the last thing she needed was Sharon angry with her. She rested her head against the cool porcelain, wishing she could make the last three days up to Sharon somehow. She knew she messed up by kicking her out on Saturday night, but there was nothing she could do about it while she was stuck in a hotel room on the outskirts of Los Angeles. She was already breaking the rules by sneaking a phone call to her. She shifted in the tub, sloshing water over the side.

"Are you...are you in the bathtub?" Sharon muttered as she rolled over in bed, burrowing herself further in the covers.

Andrea hesitated as she debated whether to be honest with Sharon. It wasn't entirely intentional that she had called Sharon while she was in the bath. She only had an hour and a half before she had to be in the lobby for dinner and the truth of the matter was she needed to bathe, but she missed Sharon more than she could stand. The logical thing to do was complete both tasks at once. Then, of course, Andrea had spoken to Sharon from the bath more than once already. She'd just been more smooth about it before today.

"I am, in fact, in the bathtub," she finally admitted sheepishly.

"Andrea..." Sharon groaned as she buried her face in her pillow. The way she felt before Andrea called simply did not compare to the way Sharon was feeling now.

There was a silence on the line before Sharon decided to change the subject. What could she say to the fact that she now knew Andrea was naked, in the bathtub, sitting there talking to her? She couldn't begin to allow herself to think of Andrea in any real detail in that position. She wouldn't be able to hold herself together.

"How is the case going? Which case is this? Can you even say?" She tried to keep her tone friendly and nonchalant as she questioned the younger woman.

"Oh, uh... it's the murder case I told you about last week. I'm really hoping the jury makes a unanimous decision and we can be out of here tomorrow, but it doesn't look good. Today it was split."

Sharon couldn't ignore the distracted tone of Andrea's voice as she listened intently. She'd memorized everything about Andrea's voice because she loved it; the way it went up at the end of sentences, the slight crescendo it had when she got ready to laugh. No, this was a new tone, one Sharon couldn't place. It was definitely distraction. With perhaps a hint of... pleasure? _What was Andrea doing?_

"Well... thats not good.. how long do you think you'll be there?" Sharon asked quietly as she closed her eyes and began to unbutton her blouse again. She couldn't help it. The image of Andrea in the bath. Her voice, everything. It was too much, she needed some sort of , her free hand trailed down her neck, tracing her erratic pulse, downwards to cup her breast and lightly pinch her erect nipple. She had to bite her lip to stifle the moan that threatened to spill out as pleasure rippled up and down her body.

"Hopefully not long. The longest I've been stuck like this is three weeks, but that was a few years ago. Renee almost left me over that one..." Andrea laughed darkly as she mentioned her ex-partner who had left her two years ago for another woman, but she stopped abruptly as she heard Sharon take a sharp breath in. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Sharon snapped a little too quickly, pulling her hand out of her shirt. "I'm uh, I'm fine. Still in the bath?"

Andrea laughed a little quieter this time, amused by Sharon's interest in her bath. "Yes, dear. I'm still in the bath. Any particular reason for your interest?"

"You tend to smell a little funny. I just wanted to make sure you were actually getting clean this time..." Sharon teased as she moved her hand down her stomach, inching towards her belt buckle.

Andrea rolled her eyes and moaned quietly as she allowed herself to sink further down in the bath, the warm water enveloping her chest and shoulders. "Mhm. I think it has a whole lot less to do with my scent and more to do with your visual, but whatever Sharon."

"You. Wish. Maybe they should keep you there for three weeks," Sharon chided playfully. "So, is it something with the jury that's keeping you there, or something with the evidence or...?" she trailed off as she shimmied out of her trousers, leaving her in only her bra and panties under the thick duvet.

Andrea hesitated as she heard Sharon's sheets rustle again. She closed her eyes as her thoughts ran wild. Was Sharon naked beneath the sheets? Her heart and body ached at the mental image of a naked Sharon Raydor tangled in nothing but the no-doubt decadent sheets on her bed.

"That's not very nice, Sharon..." Andrea pouted as she ran her fingertip along the length of her thigh, teasing her folds, thinking of Sharon.

"Since when has anyone claimed I was nice, Andrea?" Sharon said pointedly as her hand made its way down her thong and she spread her legs further to allow herself access to her throbbing sex. She clenched her jaw in a failed attempt to stifle the moan she was about to exhale, but it did no good; the sound slipped past her lips, and was unmistakable to Andrea.

Andrea froze in the water, unsure of whether she wanted to interrupt Sharon or just listen. "Sharon, honey... are you... touching yourself?"

Sharon's heart all but stopped as Andrea finished her sentence. She swallowed hard, but didn't dare open her mouth to respond to Andrea.

"Sharon, its alright... I uh... I was... I am, too," Andrea said softly, hoping that her own admission would prompt Sharon to come clean about what the hell was going on between them.

For the second time that evening Sharon heard something unrecognizable in Andrea's voice. This time it was tenderness, affection, even love perhaps. Something so gentle it nearly tore Sharon's heart in two.

"I don't...I can't do this. I have to go." Sharon hung up the phone before Andrea had the chance to respond.

Sharon placed her phone down next to her body and stared at the ceiling, the fingers of her free hand still inside her. She closed her eyes and thought of Andrea. _What the fuck am I doing?_ She thought to herself fleetingly. She replayed Andrea's gentle, almost-whisper again in her mind; she imagined Andrea's full lips ghosting her neck so that her words danced across her heated skin. She twisted her fingers, hitting that sweet spot inside of her, imagining that it was Andrea's hand at her sex instead. The tears threatened to spill down her cheeks as she came closer to finishing, Andrea's face immediately present at the back of her eyelids as she squeezed them tightly together. Finally, the waves of pleasure came crashing over her and Andrea's name came spilling out of her mouth. She moaned her name again and again; she needed to hear that word leave her mouth. Andrea. She needed to feel it on her lips, even if her imagined lover wasn't there. As pleasure knifed through her limbs, she felt relief, sorrow, lust, affection, and yearning course through her body at the same time, threatening to consume her entirely.

Andrea looked, dumbstruck at her phone before tossing it onto the carpet on the floor next to the tub. "Fuck," she hissed as she combed her fingers through her hair frustratedly; that was not how she had hoped their conversation would end tonight. Her heart had flip-flopped when she realized what Sharon was doing, when she realized, after months of wondering, that _she_ was who Sharon craved. She knew there was nothing she could do about it now. Defeated, she pulled her hair out of the clip and dunked herself under the water. She would go to this dinner. She would finish this case. As soon as she got the fuck out of this hotel, she was going straight to Sharon's house and putting an end to this passive aggressive bullshit. She was telling Sharon she wanted her, once and for all.


	4. Chapter 4

Sharon sat on the back balcony, still clad in her black pencil skirt and white silk chemise left over from the work day, sipping a glass of white wine. It was something Spanish, Sharon hadn't really taken note of the bottle when she opened it. She sighed quietly to herself as she watched the lights dance across the foothills. It had been a very long week. She pressed her wine glass to her lips and took a long sip as she thought about what to make for dinner, the flavour was familiar though she couldn't recall when she had first tasted this wine. Lately, she tried to put extra thought into the mundane so she didn't have to think about what had happened at the beginning of the week. She swirled the glass and allowed herself the minor distraction of trying to remember how to make Paella and tortilla Espaniola to go with her wine. She turned the bottle around to read the label, hoping that the description would recommend a simpler meal to compliment the wine and that's when it hit her; she'd thought of those dishes to make because she and Andrea had made them together three weeks ago-to go with Andrea's favourite wine. This wine. Sharon slammed her glass down on the table and stalked into the kitchen, reaching for an abandoned bottle of rose in the back of the wine rack instead. She grabbed a fresh glass and the corkscrew and started over. She would not spend the evening thinking about Andrea Hobbs.

A new glass in hand, she parked herself on the couch. She was not going back outside so she could be assaulted by that bottle again. She rested her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes, pushing all thoughts of Andrea out of her head. Not tonight, she wouldn't think of her tonight. She'd read a book or watch a film or go for a run. She'd clean the house or scrub the floors. She would not think of Andrea. Allowing her thoughts to drift back to dinner, she thought about Italian food. Maybe lasagne, or ziti; something cheesy and comforting. She could definitely go for comforting tonight. As she began to take stock of the ingredients in her fridge and contemplate the possibility of a grocery run, she heard a knock at the front door.

Sharon sighed and set her wine glass down on the table. She had no idea who could be at her door, but any distraction was welcome. Maybe Gavin had finally taken pity on her after fifty pathetic phone calls and actually come over to keep her company. She blew her bangs out of her face and sauntered to the front door, pulling the security chain off it. Thanks to the doorman downstairs, she knew no one suspect would be in the building, so she was confident enough not to look through the peephole before she swung the door open.

Andrea stood in front of her, holding a bouquet of red carnations. Sharon had never wished more before in her life that she had looked through her peephole before answering the door. She didn't have long to think, however, before Andrea's arms were wrapped tightly around her and their bodies were flush against each other, the carnations hastily discarded on the floor behind them. Sharon didn't know who kissed who first; she didn't really care. All she knew was that she was against the wall, her tongue fighting for access to Andrea's mouth before she could really fully process was going on. She bit down gently on Andrea's bottom lip, eliciting a moan from the younger woman as her hands wandered down Sharon's hips and across her backside.

As quickly as Andrea had been on her, she backed away from her. "Oh, fuck. Not again," Sharon cried desperately, reaching for Andrea, trying to pull her closer. Andrea gladly accepted Sharon's embrace and held her close, but didn't kiss her again.

"Sharon, we need to talk," Andrea whispered into her hair as she kissed the crown of her head.

Sharon held on to Andrea for a moment, as if her life depended on it. She needed to feel every inch of Andrea against her body, even if it was fleeting. Finally, she let her go and nodded, regaining her composure. "Yes. We do," she said quietly, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. She stepped away from Andrea nervously, entirely unsure of what this evening was going to bring. "Can I offer you a glass of wine?"

Andrea shook her head in the negative. "As much as I probably need a glass right now, I want to talk to you without distraction. If you give me a glass of wine, I'll probably drink the whole bottle," she chuckled nervously.

Sharon nodded, unable to read her signs, and bent down to pick up the discarded carnations. "I'll uh... I'll put these in some water." Sharon turned her back on Andrea, grateful for the distraction of the flowers, even if she had no idea what they meant.

Andrea followed her into the kitchen, feeling already like she'd messed this entire evening up. "They're for you, Sharon," she muttered quietly, "The flowers."

Sharon turned and smiled weakly, snipping the stems as she spoke. "Oh, I uh... well. Thanks, Andrea. I kind of figured. Well, I hoped." Sharon silently kicked herself and turned away, looking under the sink for a vase.

"Carnations... red ones. They mean..." Andrea sighed, trying to find the courage to say it. She took a deep breath and moved much closer to the older woman so that when Sharon stood, she was right behind her. "They mean that my heart aches for you, Sharon."

Sharon could feel Andrea's breath on her neck as she said it. She felt like she was going to pass out, or die. One or the other, it was an equal toss up of which might occur first. She turned around, very slowly, to face Andrea. "That would be very...very sweet if you meant it, Andrea... because mine has ached for a very, very long time for you."

Andrea wrapped her arms around Sharon's waist and pulled her in close, causing Sharon to yet again discard to the bundle of carnations in favor of kissing the younger woman. Sharon brushed her lips against Andrea's lightly, savouring those precious moments before they met properly. This kiss felt different from their earlier encounter; sweeter, softer, laden with the truth that had been locked away inside both of their hearts for far too long. As she melted into Andrea's embrace, she felt the pitter-patter of her restless heart beat match Andrea's own.

Andrea kissed her again, then peeled herself away from her newfound lover."Put the carnations in water. It's probably not a good sign if we kill the first bouquet I buy you," she laughed as she wrapped her arms around Sharon from behind as Sharon immediately began to obey her orders.

Sharon rested her head against Andrea's shoulder as she worked on the flowers, thrilled she finally had the freedom to touch the other woman so freely. "I was going to make dinner... have you eaten?" Sharon asked.

Andrea kissed Sharon's cheek before responding, "No, I haven't. But since I'm here to apologize, why don't you let me cook for you?" she suggested.

Sharon finished placing the flowers in their vase and turned herself around in Andrea's arms again. "You don't have to do that, and you don't have to apologize," she said seriously, planting another soft kiss on Andrea's lips. "We've both been idiots. God, Gavin's been trying to get me to realize it for months... I've just been so...I'm sorry, Andrea. I was scared," she said quietly, resting her head on Andrea's shoulder.

"I was terrified too," Andrea admitted. "Can we start over?"

Sharon shook her head against Andrea's shoulder. "No, I don't want to pretend that the last few months never happened. They may not have been ideal, but they were perfect."

Andrea looked down at Sharon and wondered how she could fall in love with this woman again, and yet she knew Sharon would make it happen, just like she had so many times before. "Alright. We won't pretend they didn't happen... but are we alright? Can we be honest with each other now and be open and start dating?"

"Oh honey, I think we've been dating for a while now, it's just that neither of us knew it until tonight," Sharon giggled.

Andrea laughed and shook her head. "You're impossible. Fine. Can I at least start having sex with you now? That's a first, or have we done that too and I missed it?" Andrea waggled her eyebrows at Sharon; they had both missed this, the easy, blunt, flirtatious humour between them.

Sharon raised an eyebrow at Andrea and pursed her lips. Leave it to her to fall for with the most infuriating woman she knew. "Well..." Sharon trailed off, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Oh, shut the hell up, Sharon," Andrea laughed. "What do you say we make dinner, together, and enjoy a bottle of wine? And then I'm definitely taking you to bed." Sharon shivered at the conviction in Andrea's voice. "I want to lay you down on your bed, and spend the night making love with you," Andrea whispered against Sharon's lips, "and then I want to hold you until the morning."

Sharon hummed, "I want that too." She kissed along Andrea's jaw, "I need to feel you, all of you."

Andrea kissed Sharon gently, then moved away from her quickly to refrain from taking her to bed right then and there. Andrea surveyed the kitchen she'd come to know as well as her own. Rolling up her sleeves, she surveyed her companion and smiled. "Okay, dinner. What are we making?" she said, her voice trembling still from the passion of their kisses.

Sharon hopped up on the counter and crossed her legs, smiling at Andrea. "Well, there's a fresh bottle of your favourite wine outside... how about Spanish rice and omelets, like we made a few weeks ago? I've got all the ingredients."

Andrea had to resist the urge not to plant herself between Sharon's legs as she watched her on the kitchen counter. "That, my dear, sounds delicious. I will go get the wine. You, on the other hand, need to stop...doing that. Get down. Get the stuff out."

"Yes ma'am," Sharon laughed and hopped off the counter,as she walked away, Andrea watched the deliberate sway of her hips. Sharon tossed her mass of auburn waves over her shoulder, throwing a smouldering look at Andrea as she went.

Both women were very much looking forward to their dessert.

Sharon lay on Andrea's chest, listening to the rhythm of her heartbeat as she tried in vain to catch her breath. True to her word, Andrea had helped prepare a delicious meal with her, they had split the bottle of wine; after the dishes were washed (Andrea had insisted on completing this task alone, which left Sharon gazing appreciatively at her backside from her seat) Andrea had taken her hand, and led her to the bedroom where they'd spent most of the evening making love. Despite being physically exhausted, they still craved one another's touch.

Sharon trailed sloppy, sweet kisses across Andrea's breasts, making the younger woman squirm beneath her. "I do adore you," Sharon muttered between kisses, "Every delicious inch of you."

Andrea ran her fingers through Sharon's hair, which was now a proper, tangled mess. "I adore you too, Sharon," she said with that same loving, gentle tone Sharon recognized from the previous Monday evening. Sharon looked up and gazed directly in her eyes, then rested her head on Andrea's stomach.

"I'm sorry I wasted so much time being an idiot," she said sadly, fussing with a strand of her hair.

"No. No more apologies, remember?" Andrea pulled her up to wrap her arms around her, "You're right. The last three months have been perfect because we've spent them with each other. We're both stubborn, there was no way this relationship was going to come about easily," Andrea chuckled as she rolled their bodies so that Sharon's lithe frame was under her own; both women groaned softly as their breasts pressed against one another.

Sharon's eyes fluttered as Andrea kissed along the length of her neck. Her tongue darted out and traced wicked patterns across Sharon's pulse point. Sharon rolled her head back and moaned, allowing Andrea better access to her neck as her hands quickly found their place on the younger woman's hips. Andrea could already tell her hips were one of Sharon's favourite spots on her body; Sharon had taken every opportunity this evening to caress and kiss Andrea's curves. She could already feel the slight bruises on her hips and thighs from where Sharon had licked and sucked and caressed her as they'd made love. It was a feeling she was more than ready to grow accustomed to.

Sharon's hands drifted towards Andrea's ass, Sharon purred as she cupped the soft flesh. "I really, really love your ass," she said, giggling.

Andrea smiled against Sharon's neck. "I had no idea," she said, deadpan. Sharon slapped her and Andrea bit her playfully in response.

"I thought you were tired, and if that leaves a mark..." Sharon chided, only half serious.

"Seems only fair since I have an array of hickeys from you all over my body." Andrea tipped them so they were on their side, and separated their bodies just enough for Sharon to see the tiny bruises that Andrea had been referring to. A concerned look flashed across Sharon's face but Andrea kissed her before reassuring, "I bruise easily. Don't worry. I'm not actually complaining."

"I'll be more careful next time," Sharon muttered, slightly embarrassed, as she buried her head in Andrea's chest, another recently discovered favourite place on the blonde's body.

"Oh, I'd really rather you not be, honey," Andrea purred as she rubbed her back.

Sharon snuggled deeper into Andrea's embrace; she marveled at how despite the fact that there was no physical barrier between them, she still felt like she couldn't get close enough. "Cold?" Andrea asked as she tugged the blanket halfway up their bodies.

"No, if you hold me, I'll be warm," Sharon said sweetly.

"I'll be sure not to let go then," Andrea promised, "Wouldn't want you freezing to death on me."

Sharon giggled softly. "You wouldn't let that happen, I trust you," she said sincerely. Andrea watched as Sharon settled more comfortably against her body; as the physical exertion of their lovemaking and the languorous mood that followed wrapped itself around Sharon's body.

Andrea wrapped herself entirely around Sharon as well, wanting desperately to contain her feisty lover in a cocoon of her love for her. With deliberate, gentle movements, she succeeded in entwining her limbs with the smaller woman's. She watched Sharon sleep until she was convinced that she would not stir anymore, then she rested her head against her mass of messy auburn curls and shut her eyes, finally giving in to the satisfied exhaustion that threatened to overtake her body.


	5. Chapter 5

Gavin sat across the table from Andrea and Sharon, sipping his bloody mary, sans celery, as they waited for dessert. Sharon rested her hand on Andrea's inner thigh and grinned at Gavin as she listened to her girlfriend talk about her latest case, and Andrea seemed to just glow as she talked animatedly about her work. Gavin could not help but notice the stark difference between the two women who were sitting across from him now, and the two women who had sat across from him individually, weeks ago, as they confided in him their feelings for one another. There was a peacefulness that radiated from both of their eyes, not to mention the seemingly permanent smiles that each woman couldn't let go of. Andrea sat with her arm around Sharon; Sharon fit herself comfortably under Andrea's embrace, while allowing her hand to rest against the younger woman's body. Even as they had enjoyed their dinner, they had remained connected in some way, be it with a brush of a hand against an arm, or their skirt-clad thighs pressing against each other as they sat as close as possible on the cushioned bench; they were inseparable. It was starting to test Gavin's patience.

"Well, I'm glad the case is going so well, honey." Gavin smiled weakly as he downed his second drink and watched the waiter place dessert in front of them. He signaled for another drink before the waiter could walk away; with the way Sharon and Andrea were cuddling and the stories they still had to catch up on, he was going to need it.

"Yes, things couldn't be more fantastic, truly," Andrea chirped before she kissed Sharon on the cheek, nearly causing Gavin to send his fork through his own hand instead of the cheese cake on his plate. He loved his best friends more than he could say, but if they were going to act like this twenty-four hours a day, he wasn't sure he could love them together all the time.

Sharon bit into her chocolate cake and moaned quietly, grinning at Andrea as she did it. Gavin rolled his eyes and took another long, slow sip of his drink.

Sharon caught his eye and watched him carefully for a moment. She cleared her throat, moving a fraction of an inch away from Andrea. "So, Gavin, how is work at the firm? Have you been busy?"

Gavin sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes, but we just hired a new receptionist and I am this close to firing her. She keeps misplacing my notes and my very clearly labeled folders," he ranted on about his unfortunate new hire. Both women listened with only half-interest; Sharon had drawn them a bath earlier which they'd both enjoyed immensely, however, their evening plans with Gavin had cut any hope for other types of...enjoyment...rather abruptly, leaving both of them more keyed up than usual.

Sharon fought to keep her eyes open and her mouth closed as Andrea traced shapes on her inner thigh under the table with the hand that was not currently wrapped around her shoulder, distracting her from comprehending anything Gavin was saying.

"Oh, honey, that's so unfortunate," she managed to mutter, sounding semi-sympathetic.

Gavin drained his glass and set his fork down, crossing his arms in his lap, as he stopped to watch the show that came with his dinner whether he wanted it or not. Sharon glanced up at Andrea and gently wiped a piece of dark chocolate cheese cake from the corner of her mouth, taking her finger in her own mouth to lick it off.

"Would you two like me to book you a room now, or would you like me to pay for the meal first?" he asked calmly, batting his eyelashes at his best friends as he said it.

Sharon giggled and Andrea rolled her eyes. "Now, now Gavin, what was it you've been telling me for months now? Andrea Hobbs, put your big girl panties on and ask that woman of yours out on a proper date already! I would think that you'd be happy?" She smirked as she spoke.

"Yeah, well, I hoped that lesbian bed death would have kicked in by now," he retorted dryly.

Sharon reached across the table to smack Gavin in the arm. "Somehow I don't think lesbian bed death is a thing we'll be experiencing. I could be wrong, but I've got a hunch." She smirked as she reached for her wallet in her purse.

Gavin visibly cringed, then reached his hand out and grabbed her. "Sharon Raydor, not so fast. You just paid for brunch not long ago."

While Sharon and Gavin bickered about the bill, Andrea handed her credit card to the waiter and laughed at both of them. She felt bad for making Gavin feel like a third wheel; the least she could do was pay for the drinks he'd downed while he suffered through her subtle PDA with Sharon.

Gavin glared at her when he realized the bill was gone, then crossed his arms over his chest. "No, I am happy for the two of you. Its about damn time you two idiots told each other you love each other. You have said I love you, right." Gavin looked between Sharon and Andrea as they exchanged dumbstruck looks, each of them refusing to move.

Finally, Sharon squeezed Andrea's thigh where her hand had been resting and laughed nervously. Leave it to Gavin to put his nose right in the middle of their burgeoning romance. "Gavin... we have been dating for only a few weeks. Knock it off."

Gavin shot both women a panicked look, thinking that he'd done something terribly wrong. Finally, Sharon took pity on him. "You know Gavin, as much as we've enjoyed ourselves here, we really ought to be getting home now," she said easily.

He eyed both women critically before nodding his head in silent agreement and standing. Something was up, he just didn't know what it was.

Both Sharon and Andrea stood and kissed him on either side of his face, then slid out of the restaurant hand in hand. Sharon grabbed her keys out of her purse and led Andrea to the car in silence. She thought about speaking, about reassuring her that she didn't have to say I love you yet, but she didn't know how to begin that conversation. Instead, she turned the music up and rested her head against the back of the seat, her hand quickly finding that soft spot on Andrea's inner thigh.

"Well, that was fun..." Andrea muttered quietly, looking out the passenger side window at the wild array of lights as they drove through downtown Los Angeles to Sharon's condo.

Sharon hummed her response. Her fingers toyed with the hem of Andrea's skirt, inching it up slightly so she could caress the silky skin of Andrea's thigh.

Andrea closed her eyes and wondered how the night would go as she felt Sharon's hand slide up her leg. Gavin had no doubt made things awkward at the restaurant. The word "love" certainly had not entered their vocabulary yet, but not for lack of want on Andrea's part. She was quite sure she was deeply in love with Sharon, and she was confident that Sharon was in love with her. Did it matter if they voiced what was in their hearts? Andrea certainly took every opportunity to show Sharon how much she adored her when they made love or kissed, or even just when they were cuddled up on the couch together. And Andrea loved it when Sharon called her "my darling" or "my heart"; still, a part of Andrea yearned to hear the word wrapped around Sharon's honeyed voice.

Sharon parked the car and led Andrea up to her apartment in an easy silence. When they were through the front door, Sharon shed her coat and heels, leaving them in the entryway. Andrea rolled her eyes; it was a habit of Sharon's she had already grown to hate.

"Wine, honey?" Andrea muttered as she bent down to pick up Sharon's shoes. She knew if she left them there she'd inevitably trip over them in the morning, and there was no way in hell Sharon was going to pick them up any time soon.

"No, I don't want any wine," Sharon said seriously as she moved closer to Andrea, wrapping her arms around her waist. She planted one very gentle kiss on Andrea's lips and smiled, looking her dead in the eye.

"I want you to put my shoes back down where you found them, and I want you to follow me, please."

Andrea did not put the shoes down. She rolled her eyes and kissed Sharon again, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman. "Where are we going, Sharon?" she asked playfully, pushing her hair out of her face with her free hand.

"We are going to bed," Sharon said decisively. She reached down and knocked the shoes out of Andrea's hands playfully, kissing her again, this time a little harder, as she did it. She turned Andrea so she could walk her down the hall; kissing her as her hands wandered along Andrea's much-adored curves, all the way to her bedroom.

She backed Andrea against the bed, laying her down gently between kisses. As Sharon climbed on top of her, one hand pinning Andrea's arms above her head, Sharon paused. "Oh, Andrea?" she asked, brushing her lips against Andrea's as she looked her in the eye, "I do love you, so very, very much."

Andrea smiled all the way up to her grey-blue eyes."Love you too Shar, more than I could articulate." She leaned upwards to capture Sharon's lips in a sweet kiss before regaining control in her arms. She wrapped them around Sharon and pulled her down on top of her, deepening their kiss as their bodies crashed into each other, limbs and hearts entangled.

As their bodies danced towards completion that evening, their hearts settled, finally. They were home at last.


End file.
